Title: Investigation of contaminant transport in groundwater from the tailings pond of uranium mine: a case study

Authors: Kashinath Pal, Harsha Vardhan, Mangalpady Aruna

Addresses: Department of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore 575025, Karnataka, India. ' Department of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore 575025, Karnataka, India. ' Department of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore 575025, Karnataka, India

Abstract: The present study investigates the spreading of radioactive materials through groundwater by developing a groundwater contaminant transport model. The model was analysed in the steady state, and was then applied in the transient state to predict the spreading of uranium and its daughter product in the region. The model was verified using the simulated and measured velocity of groundwater. It was also used to simulate the potential migration of radioactive contaminants from the tailings pond to the surrounding areas considering four different radionuclides. The results show that the model is most sensitive to distribution coefficient and groundwater velocity.

Keywords: contaminant transport; radionuclides; prediction scenario; uranium tailings pond; groundwater modelling; uranium mines; radioactive materials; water pollution; groundwater velocity; simulation; radioactive contamination; pollution transport.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2010.039039

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2010 Vol.2 No.4, pp.290 - 309

Published online: 11 Mar 2011 *

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